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Thomas Jefferson warned that "Ignorance is preferable to error, and he is less remote from the truth who believes nothing than he who believes what is wrong." A high I.Q. does not necessarily translate into the skills necessary to live. How does an intelligent person guard against self-deception (what Ayn Rand called faking reality)? Is it always in our best interest to pursue rational thinking? How should we frame the questions to determine if we are being rational? What are the components of intellectual honesty?

FTA: "I think there is a confusion between "intelligent" and "stupid." Stupidity is independent of intelligence, and in fact high intelligence often gives added scope to the harmful consequences of stupidity. Stupidity in intelligent people is marked by their ability for rationalization and self-deception. Stupidity is not lack of facts, but willful failure to face facts. That's why Sir Arthur Clarke remarked that ignorance is forgivable, stupidity is not. A not-too-bright person may make a stupid decision about their personal budget and lifestyle choices, but is scarcely likely to do harm of the magnitude that's been done by academics and intellectuals over the past two centuries. After all, Karl Marx was a very intelligent man."

We all admire beauty, but the mind ultimately must be stimulated for maximum arousal. Longevity in relationships cannot occur without a meeting of the minds. And that is what Braincrave is: a dating venue where minds meet. Learn about the thoughts of your potential match on deeper topics... topics that spawn your own insights around what you think, the choices you make, and the actions you take.

We are a community of men and women who seek beauty and stimulation through our minds. We find ideas, education, and self-improvement sexy. We think intelligence is hot. But Braincrave is more than brains and I.Q. alone. We are curious. We have common sense. We value and offer wisdom. We experiment. We have great imaginations. We devour literacy. We are intellectually honest. We support and encourage each other to be better.

The Braincrave.com discussion group on Second Life was a twice-daily intellectual group discussions typically held at 12:00 PM SLT (PST) and 7:00 PM SLT. The discussions took place in Second Life group chat but are no longer formally scheduled or managed. The daily articles were used to encourage the discussions.